This week’s Heal Yourself And Move—a biweekly column about dance and electronic music, written by Maryland’s finest, Andrew Field Pickering—runs through some of Andrew's favorites of the year and his alterego Maxmillion Dunbar gives us a killer mix of some of the choicest, deepest cuts. Download that here and check the tracklist and the rest of the column after the jump.
Download: Maxmillion Dunbar, "’09 Cutz" Mix
Maxmillion Dunbar - "'09 Cutz" Mix
1. Mix-O-Rap "All Party People" (People's Potential Unlimited)
2. Hieroglyphic Being "O Ceu Ajuda Nos (Original)" (Mathematics)
3. Reggie Dokes "I Wear The Mask" (Clone / Loft Supreme)
4. Kinoeye "Mean Old World" (WT Records)
5. Les Aeroplanes "36 F" (Mathematics)
6. Juju & Jordash "Deep Blue Meanies" (Dekmantel)
7. Steve Summers "Shake The House" (Clone / Jack For Daze)
8. Steve Summers "Dreaming In Color" (Clone / Jack For Daze)
9. Julien Love "Real Good Time" (blackdisco)
10. AAO "Make It Clap '09" (CD-R, via the flea markets in MD and DC)
11. Leron Carson "Red Lightbulb" (Sound Signature)
12. Mutant Beat Dance feat. Eric D. Clark "In A Daze" (Discos Capablancas)
13. Omar S "Flying Gorgars" (FXHE)
14. Smackos' Love & Happiness Ron Hardy version cover version (Web only, via the Strange Life blog)
15. Underground Resistance "Transition Accapella" (UR)
Notes on the mix:
There is no way in hell that I was about to make a mix featuring all of the good music that came out in 2009. The mix above is mostly just 15 awesome tracks I had nearby as I was writing this column—by no means does track order indicate any ranking system (I think that shit is dumb).
2009
One of the happiest things to see was the rise of Boogie. Pioneered, in a way, by the massive output and positive vibes emanating from Dam Funk, boogie rose up in '09. Lots of releases this year had chunky vintage drums, off-kilter grooves and fat synths that are indebted to the shmillions of forgotten one-off 12-inches from the 80s that are floating from used bins and flea markets around America into boutique online shops and popular consciousness. Even the UK's "wonky" scene and its growing fringes seemed indebted to the sound as a brief respite from (or on top of) bass science. People's Potential Unlimited, perhaps my favorite label in the world, unearthed countless cuts from forgotten boogie acts like Midnight Express' Robbie M, J.P.s Force, 4 Reel, and the amazing "All Party People" in my mix above, a completely warped and blissfully cockeyed go-go groove by Mix-O-Rap.
And speaking of that go-go, i had to include a track on the mix from maybe my favorite new band, AAO, part of the "young band" (at least, that's what the guys at the flea market tell me: "I don't listen to the young bands, but those CDs are six for $20") or "slow bounce" go-go scene in DC and MD, who make the most intense music I've heard in a long time. I think a lot of it sounds like the On-U-Sound System mixing Sleep into today's rap and R&B radio, but I doubt the bands come at it from that perspective. Either way, you can definitely dance to this greatness, and bands like XIB, TOB, Reaction and AAO are killing it right now! If only I could find their music on YouTube...
XIB, "Booty Bounce"
TOB, "Do The Shuffle"
ACENONLYACE (7 months ago)
I SWEAR TO GOD
The return to "deepness" in house music this year was awesome, or rather those who did it well did it SO WELL. I personally am way down with hearing a lot more 707s and DX7 pads, as opposed to the mountain of spare laptop tracks of previous years. It does make sense in an "every ten years" kind of way that European DJs (representing the bulk of DJs) would look to Chicago and Detroit sounds in '09 much like they did in '89, and that genres from hip-hop to dubstep would snag vibes from them as well. I do totally agree with Phillip Sherburne's assertion though, that too many "chants, congas, and keys" left us all cold. There may be nothing worse than some terrible, boring deep house. I much prefer the stark Mustang deepness of Omar S to any track that sounds like someone took their Rhodes to the WMC. I also agree that Newworldaquarium's "Trespassers" might be cut of the decade.
Omar's "Flying Gorgars" is so beast, but much more surprising (cuz Omar's always good) was the record he helped remaster for Sound Signature, Leron Carson's 2x12-inch "Red Lightbulb Theory: 87-88". So much lovely tape hiss surrounds this grimy document of the old ways, and the drums scratch at your brain. This record is a must-grip for the freaks.
Part of me cringes at what I'm about to say, but in terms of music, I'm proud to be an American this year. Kyle Hall, Tevo Howard, Omar, Jamal Moss, Dam Funk, Tom Noble, the PPU label, Kinoeye (aka Datahata), Stinkworx, Lovefingers, Speculator, Traxx (as himself and as Mutant Beat Dance), Reggie Dokes, Steve Summers and Jus-Ed were among the folks here doing genius in their studios (and that's just in house, boogie, and disco!).
The Kassem Mosse record on Workshop was sick. Interested people should also seek out his previous Workshop 12", too. Juju & Jordash dropped an awesome LP. On the UK side of things, Peverelist is one of my favorite producers right now, and his new LP collects some of my favorite 12" tracks of his along with some new cuts. I loved the Thriller 12" (no artist), "Freak For You", a tune much in debt to some rare boogie. Soft Rocks' EPs for blackdisco and REDUX were airtight. Whew!
Speaking of the UK, I'm gonna leave you with one of the best things to see the light of day in 2009, taken from the super ambitious Warp Anniversary comp. A special shout out goes to them for the unreleased Elektroids. AND I'M OUT:
Later!
Andrew
Future Times put out two 12-inches this year that I didn't feel right jamming in the mix, although I do feel like they are the shit. Beautiful Swimmers had a 12-inch, "Swimmers Groove", and we released a FT compilation called "Vibe 1". Seek those out! I also recently dropped a 12-inch as Maxmillion Dunbar called "Bare Feet" for Ramp Recordings out of the UK. There is a new Food For Animals LP on the way, along with new Swimmers, and new Max, in 2010. Thanks to everyone supporting our records!